National Republican., 1887-05-04
SETTING FIRE TO A HOUSE.
THE CHARGE MARY J. M'BRIDE AND
J. W. M'FARLAND MUST ANSWER.
Likely to Be a Conflict in Developing
tho Case-Eaoh Defendant Fighting
Independent OF the other-Testimony
Showing How the Building Was to
Be Burned.

III was lO45 yesterday morning, after
more than twenty-four hours in trying,
that a jury was secured In the criminal
court to try the case Of Mary j. Mcbride
and John w. Mcfarland, charged with set
ting fire to house No. 515 Eleventh street
northwest with the intent TO defraud the
Firemen's Insurance Company OF Washing.
ton and Georgetown out OF So 900 insurance
on the furniture In the house.
Assistant District Attorney Ltpscomb
opened for the government TO the jury,
and outlined the case they expected to
prove In support Of the indictment.
Col. William a. Cook, on behalf OF Miss
Mcbride, denied the truth OF the charge,
and declared his ability to show the inno-
cence Of his client.
Mr.. Taylor, representing Mcfarland, said
that he was before the jury to maintain the
innocence Of the man he was defending.
He had nothing at that time to say against
Mics Mcbride, and might not say anything,
but he proposed that the responsibility In
the case should fall where II belonged.
That McFarland was only the servant Of
Miss Mcbride, and all that he did was done
by her orders and direction he would show
In good time. lie removed valuable
furniture, at her request, from the house,
stored II elsewhere, and she paid the storage
monthly, furnishing the money to him for
that purpose. He expected to establish his
clients innocence out OF the testimony of
the prosecution, but II he must clash the
interests of Miss Mcbride to protect those
Of Mcfarland he should not hesitate to do
so. and entertained no fear as to the result.
The testimony was entered upon by sub.
mitting plat of the interior Of the house
on Eleventh street, showing the location OF
the respective rooms and halls.
Fire Marshal William o. Drew testified
that he reached the house while 1t was
burning, and described its subsection. He
subsequently made an examination, which
resulted in his finding holes In the pc
titioned walls stuffed with paper, sprin-
kled with powdered rosin, aud saturated
with coal oil. One hole was some 10 inches
long and z or s inches wide, being near the
washboard, but which had not been reached
by the fire. The fire seemed to have started
near the petition and ran up the stairway
to the third floor. Here was discovered
closet, In which he found paper and shucks
covered with rosin and saturated with coal
oil. In the next room, the back one Of the
third floor, was another cord running
between the hall door and the
washstand, where there was more paper
and rags which had been soaked with oil.
The only furniture he noticed In the room
was a bedstead and mattress. The latter
was saturated with coal oil. In the back
room was another bedstead and mattress.
and nothing else. This mattress was full
OF coal oil and rolled up, while rosin was
scattered all over the floor. In the recep.
tion room-the back room on the main
foor-he found a Jug, which would hold
three or four gallons, containing coal oil.
The fire had been started at the foot Of the
stairway, back room, on the main floor. A
candle might have been lighted and set in
the paper saturated with coal oil, and when
1t burned down set fire to that paper.
Chief Engineer Joseph Paris thought he
was about three or four minutes getting to
the scene Of the fire, which at that time
seemed to be on the second floor Of the
back building and the entire stairway was
on fire. 1t took between half and three
quarters Of an hour to get 1t under control.
After that he inspected the premises and de-
statement Of the previous witness.
Joseph N. Lehman, foreman OF No. 2
company, testified that his company was
| the first to arrive at the house. They took
| the hose through the front door and found
| fire in the back room on the main floor, ex-
| tending to the third floor and coming from
the back of the building running up the
the upper floor they found the back room
| closed tight, and on bursting 1t open there
| was lampwlck running across the floor to
| the washstand, In which was discovered
| paper soaked with oil. The testimony Ia
regard to the evidences to burn the house
was a repetition OF that given by the fire
| marshal.
VIM. T. Belt, foreman OF No. company,
| was examined, but his testimony did not
differ from that which had been given.
Arthur Payne testified that two or three
weeks before the fire, at the request Of Nc
Farland, he assisted in taking furniture
| from the house by the way OF the back
alley. Mcfarland said that 1t was set OF
furniture belonging to member Of Con
gress; the latter was going to move, and the
furniture was to be taken on l. street. 1t
was between l2 and / o'clock In the day
when the removal took place.
| Carrie Griffith, residing at 1904 l. street,
stated that on May 81 Of last year McFar
| land came to her house aud wanted to rent
room for one or two months, to store
furniture for lady from his state (Missis
sippi), who was going away. The rooms
were rented for two months at SO month
Annie Thornton was at 1904 l. street wher
Mcfarland came there with a letter which
he left for Miss Griffith to read, He stated
that 1t came from Miss Mcbride.
Clement W. Howard, secretary OF thu
Firemen's Insurance Company, testified
that Mics Mcbride called at the Office o
the company and presented a letter (showI
and identiftd), and inquired what wa
necessary for her to secure the insurance or
her furniture, as she had mislaid her policy
He told her what was requisite. Mr. How
ard visited the house when the walls wer,
still warm, and found very little furnitur,
inside. There was some In the street, bu
nothing like sufficient to cover the furnish
ing OF the house.
AT this point the government offered tn
letter IN evidence.
Col. Cook inquired the object.
District Attorney Worthington said tina
1t was for the purpose Of showing that
few days after the fire she went and claimed
the insurance on the furniture.
Col. Cook objected, and thought that th,
point might as well be met there as at an.
time.
Justice Montgomery said that the ques
tion went to the heart of the case, and sug-
gested that further progress be mad
before 1t was interposed.
Col. Cook thought decision upon 1
might terminate the trial.
eyes; II the objection is sustained" sait
the district attorney, "we will not ask 70
any verdict from the jury"
Col. Cook thought time might be saved
insisted upon his objection, and argumen
was entered upon and continued up to tn,
adjournment hour.